Confidence of IT Workers Increases Five Points in Second Quarter

Confidence of IT Workers Increases Five Points in Second Quarter
Labor shortage exists in key areas such as data architecture
PR Newswire
BOSTON, July 30, 2013
BOSTON, July 30, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --IT workers were more optimistic in the
second quarter of 2013, according to the Randstad Technologies IT Employee
Confidence Index, which increased five points from the previous quarter to
53.6 in the second quarter. Despite greater signs of optimism about the
workplace and the economy, IT workers' confidence trailed the national index,
which measures confidence of workers across a range of industries. The study
was conducted online by Harris Interactive on behalf of Randstad Technologies
in April, May and June of 2013, among 203 technology industry employees ages
18 and older.
"Given the demand for IT talent, we are not surprised to see an increase in
confidence numbers. Information technology teams continue to support
organizations in unprecedented ways, and leadership is scrambling to find
talent to address important priorities," said Bob Dickey, Executive Vice
President of Technologies at Randstad US. "Companies are seeking candidates
with much needed skill sets, such as SuccessFactors, Microsoft Dynamics, SQL
Server, SAP HANA and Workday. We are also seeing higher demand for candidates
with an understanding of service-oriented architecture (SOA), java and data
architects. Additionally, when you consider the fact that the big data
marketplace is expected to grow to $16.9 billion by 2015 according to the
International Data Corporation, the sheer volume of talent needed to address
this growth will be huge."
The Index, released by technology talent and solutions provider Randstad
Technologies, showed that though IT employees remain leery in the security of
their current position (25 percent say it is likely they will lose their
current job in the next 12 months), nearly half (47 percent) are confident in
their ability to find a new position if needed.
Dickey added that, "While we are seeing some improvement in confidence and in
the desire to find a new job, IT workers are often in precarious situations
within organizations, working on temporary projects or jumping in to fix
problems. As a result, employees may be feeling a level of insecurity around
that. The reality is, we are seeing tremendous opportunity for workers with
these highly sought-after skills."
Q2, 2013 Survey Highlights:
IT Worker Confidence in the Economy Increases in Second Quarter
oTechnology professionals' confidence in the overall economy increased by
three percentage points this quarter, with 30 percent believing the
economy is getting stronger. Nearly four-in-ten workers (39 percent) say
the economy is getting weaker, a notable decrease from last quarter's 46
percent.
Fewer IT Workers Believe More Jobs are Available this Quarter
oLess than a quarter (22 percent) of IT workers say more jobs are
available, compared to 24 percent in the first quarter of 2013. Over
four-in-ten (43 percent) workers believe that fewer IT jobs are now
available.
Half of Tech Workers Optimistic About Their Employability
oRising nine percentage points this quarter, nearly half (47 percent) of IT
workers reported feeling confident in their ability to find a new job,
compared to 38 percent the previous quarter. More than one-quarter (27
percent) are not confident in their ability to find a new job this
quarter.
IT Workers' Confidence in Their Job Security Holds Steady
oNearly six-in-ten (58 percent) IT workers report that it is not likely
they will lose their job in the next 12 months, falling one percentage
point from the previous quarter.
Over 40 Percent of IT Workers Likely to Job Hunt
oOver one-in-four (43 percent) IT workers are likely to look for a new job
in the next year, a difference of three percentage points from the
previous quarter (46 percent).
To view the latest quarterly trends report, click here.
Survey Methodology
This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris
Interactive on behalf of Randstad Technologies from April 1-3, May 7-9 and
June 4-6, 2013 among 3,626 adults ages 18 and older, of which 203 are employed
in IT. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore
no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated.
About Randstad Technologies
Randstad Technologies has been connecting top companies around the globe with
the expert technology talent andsolutions that drives their success since
1984. Our deep industry expertise and full-service capabilities—Recruitment,
Consulting, Projects and Outsourcing—enable organizations to be agile,
productive and ahead in the field with their wide network of specialists and
flexible solutions. For more information, visit www.randstadtechnologies.com.
About Randstad US
Randstad US is a wholly owned subsidiary of Randstad Holding nv, a $22.0
billion global provider of HR services. As the third largest staffing
organization in the U.S., Randstad holds top positions in permanent placement,
office and administrative, IT and accounting and finance. From professional
services, commercial staffing, recruitment process outsourcing, to managed
services and more, Randstad delivers a comprehensive range of temporary,
temporary-to-hire, permanent placement and outsourced placement services. With
its 5,660 employment experts, Randstad puts an average of nearly 100,000
people to work in the U.S. each week, through its network of more than 900
branches and client-dedicated locations.
Learn more at www.randstad.com and access Randstad's panoramic U.S. thought
leadership knowledge center through its Workforce360site that offers valuable
insight into the latest economic indicators and HR trends shaping the world of
work.
SOURCE Randstad Technologies
Website: http://www.randstadtechnologies.com
Contact: Marie Difrancesco, (212) 798-9835, marie.difrancesco@cohnwolfe.com or
Lesly Cardec, (954) 308-6302, lesly.cardec@randstadusa.com